Lessons Unlearned
by friendlyneighborhoodcanarystan
Summary: When was the exact moment she started plugging her ears?


_Survive. It's always come as easy to me as breathing. _

These days, it always seems like every time Canary's seeing Killua again, he's taller. She remembers the first time she had to actually look up at him, instead of down at him, remembers how smug he looked as he looked pointedly down at her.

"You seem a little different, Canary," he had said smirkingly.

She had to resist a smile and a playful eye roll, unable to keep light amusement from appearing in her eyes as she said, "Oh? How so?"

He shrugged as he slid his hands in his pockets, smirk still in place. "Who knows but maybe it'll come to me."

_Survive. If not for myself then for Gotoh._

It felt refreshing being outside the estate. She may not know exactly why Killua had selected her to accompany him and Alluka but it was hard to want to inquire with this change of scenery distracting her so. But she must not forget the importance of her duties, mustn't forget that the lives of Killua and Alluka far outweigh hers in significance. But Killua… Killua was at it again. Why were those eyes so hopeful again? Why did they so closely resemble the innocent eyes of the boy she'd rejected all those years ago?

_Survive._

"Hm? What was that, Canary bird?"

…"Canary bird"? Canary blinked at Killua and him right back at her, Alluka either too fixated on her funnel cake to have heard or clearly hearing her older brother but simply choosing to ignore him. She expects for embarrassment to replace the dumbfounded look on his face but instead, satisfaction appears on Killua's countenance as he smiles at her. Regaining her composure is a challenge, Canary having never anticipated being put in a situation like this.

It's not often that she's led into a false sense of security but she should've expected for one of these times to occur because of Killua. "Canary bird" hadn't slipped so casually from his lips in three weeks, Canary so sure that she'd be able to leave that incident behind her.

"Hey, can you come take a look at this map with me, Canary bird? Because I think I'm reading it wrong."

There was no sugary treat there to distract Alluka this time, the younger girl blinking as she looked curiously between her and Killua. Canary didn't let her astonishment show externally like she'd been foolish enough to do in the past, wishing it were the same case for her internally.

"Yes, of course, Killua-sama."

_Always watch the line. Never cross it._

"You said that you weren't hurt."

Killua's calm, yet accusatory voice makes Canary pause from reaching back to remove the glass shard from her upper back, glancing up at him, his gaze intense. The small scuffle they'd taken part in with a couple of men hours ago had been a short one but Canary hadn't come away unharmed like she'd told Killua. At the time, she'd been thankful for her dreads, the locks camouflaging the shard in the upper corner of her back perfectly. While it'd been embedded there for hours on end, it wasn't a deep wound so Canary had been able to continue on as if she was fine.

"Killua-sama-"

"We're friends, Canary," Killua interrupted, a bit of sharpness in his tone.

He was crouched behind her in a flash, Canary's body betraying her by stiffening, gripping her arms tightly as Killua pushed her dreads to the side. She thinks Killua's close proximity is the reason she winces as he pulls the shard out.

"Friends tell each other when they're hurt." He pauses, a slight angry edge to his voice as he says, "Not lie and say that they aren't."

She bites the inside of her cheek. "Killua-sama-"

"As your friend, I'm gonna have to ask you to stop calling me that, Canary bird," Killua says firmly.

His presence behind her disappears, Canary blinking at Killua's sudden appearance in front of her. He reaches out to raise her chin, Canary suddenly regretting ever lying to him.

"From one friend to another, can you do that for me, Canary?"

_Always watch the line. Because it's only you who can stop him should he make an attempt._

"I'm sure it'll work even without a jar," Killua said reassuringly.

Alluka stopped pouting, a hopeful look in her eyes as she looked up at her big brother. "Do you really think so, Big Brother?"

He gives her a soft smile not usually akin to his snarky nature, ruffling her hair. "Of course, kiddo."

The innocent girl lights up, her hopes having been fully restored. She's still as she patiently waits for the right moment to reach out and catch a firefly.

"I caught one, Big Brother!" Canary heard Alluka cheer. She smiled. She wondered when she'd ever stop finding Alluka's sweet innocence invigorating. Killua's been having her emotions…muddled lately so in trying to put some distance between the two of them, she'd grown fonder than ever of the youngest of their trio.

"Okay, I've made my wish! I know you wanna know, Big Brother but you can't ask me, okay?"

Killua's chuckle was a deep and low one, the amusement in it more than detectable. "Sure thing."

Canary didn't take her eyes off the fireflies even as Killua and Alluka came her way, Canary now on one side of the sweet girl and Killua on the other, the apprentice butler able to see from her peripheral Killua lean back while Alluka rested her head on his shoulder.

"Aren't they so pretty, Big Brother?" Canary heard Alluka say, more than sure that a dreamy smile was on the pretty girl's face.

"Yeah," Killua agreed in a quiet voice.

Canary's breath hitched at the feeling of fingertips brushing against her hand, not daring to look down and confirm with her own two eyes that the hand resting over hers was Killua's.

"They are really pretty."

_Always watch the line. …God, I'm such a fool. _

So much for a peaceful walk. Canary frowned even harder at the feeling of her rain drenched dress shirt clinging to her body. At least if she'd brought along her suit jacket she would've had something to cover her head with. Stretching her hand out toward the door knob, the beauty's hand pauses, her heartrate picking up as she swallows. Exhaling slowly, Canary opens the door, her eyes falling on Killua's form, the man's posture relaxed as he sat on the hotel room bed she should've chosen to stay in, instead of making an attempt to cure her insomnia by going on a walk.

"You should get out of those clothes before you catch a cold, Canary bird," he says nonchalantly.

She still hadn't moved an inch, since stepping into the room, her heart in her throat keeping her from moving her mouth. She'd learned, since things had changed between her and Killua that it would always be in her best interest to not blink much when she was alone with him. She'd never learn. The beautiful woman stares up at the man as he fiddles teasingly with the topmost button of her shirt.

Killua smirks at the woman. "Here, let me help you."

Splitting his attention between her buttons and her lips came easy to Killua, Canary's shirt already falling from her shoulders, Killua pulling her flush against his body as he stuck his tongue in her mouth. There were so many ways in which she'd never learn. Never putting up a fight when it came to Killua was one of them. Her bra was the next article of clothing to fall from her body. She moans, suddenly wet for a reason completely unrelated to the rain pouring outside. She hopes that eventually she'll learn but for now, all she wants to focus on is the man that has her hands pinned above her head, his body pressing her further down into the sheets.


End file.
